Every year, since 2006, The Innovation Hub at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Mayo has hosted a ‘Spirit of’ event. This year (its 12th year) is a collaborative event and is being run in associationwith the GMIT Innovation Hubs through the EMPOWER Programme. The EMPOWER Programme is a female entrepreneurship programme co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund as part of the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020’.Lionbridge and the Mayo Local Enterprise Office are also part of the sponsorship of the night.

As well as celebrating entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity, we also use our event as a stage to inspire and encourage people from all walks of life, to help them to pursue their own business ideas. Over the years the event has grown from hosting a small number of attendees to several hundred, and it has become an important platform for our audience to gain valuable insight by listening to those who are successfully established in business.

This event is being held as part of Mayo Ideas Week 2018, which runs from 24th September 2018 - 28th September 2018. Mayo Ideas Week is a series of idea generation, entrepreneurship and business events hosted by the development and enterprise organisations in Co. Mayo. Full brochure available at www.mayoideasweek.ie #MayoIdeasWeek"

The annual Mayo Ideas Week initiative has been running every September since 2010. Mayo Ideas Week events attract attendees from across the business community including entrepreneurs and business people in operation for many years, as well as those people considering entrepreneurship, and those in the process of setting up their own businesses. The week gives entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs the opportunity to explore new ideas, learn from others and share experiences with other start-ups and businesses in Mayo. It's also gives them an opportunity to chat to supporting enterprise agencies in Mayo to see how they might be able to help them get their ideas off the ground.

Mayo Ideas Week is very much a collaborative initiative, with more than 30 organisations and agencies co-hosting events. It features specialist events focused on industry sectors with growth potential in Co. Mayo such tourism, food, renewable energy, creative industries etc. It also features events on more general themes such as entrepreneurship, as well as business networking opportunities, mentoring and training workshops.

We hope you will come along to our Spirit of Enterprise event this year on Monday 24th September 2018 (Males and Females welcome)